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DAYTON — A popular southwestern Ohio air show expects attendance to drop 30 percent because of a
lack of military participation with the federal budget cuts.

The Vectren Dayton Air Show, which has drawn as many as 70,000 spectators, is one of the latest
shows in the country to be affected by the cuts, which have the military pulling back on spending
in what are considered nonessential areas.

The cutbacks have affected more than 200 of the approximately 300 air shows held in the United
States each year, said John Cudahy, president of the International Council of Air Shows. About 60
shows have been canceled, and he expects more cancellations as the season progresses.

The Cleveland National Air Show, which has been held over Labor Day weekend since 1964,
announced in March that the show would be canceled because of federal budget cuts.

Military cuts earlier caused the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds to pull out of the Dayton show at
the Dayton International Airport. Organizers now say the show will have no military fighter
demonstrations or displays for the first time in the event’s nearly 40-year history.

“As far as military aircraft equipment that people are used to seeing in the past, that is not
going to happen as of now,” the show’s general manager, Brenda Kerfoot, said.

The Thunderbirds, an F-16 jet team, canceled the team’s entire summer season because of budget
cuts. Solo jet performances, such as the F-15 or F-18 fighter demonstrations, also were
canceled.

Kerfoot said there will be displays of other aircraft at the show despite the absence of active
U.S. military aircraft that are usually parked on the ground for spectators to explore. This year’s
show will highlight the AeroShell Aerobatic Team, a MiG-17 demonstration and a flight of the world’s
last flying World War II era B-29, “Fifi.”

There also won’t be any of the typical personnel support from nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force
Base at the June 22-23 event. Wright-Patterson has had up to 300 people support ground operations
at the show in past years, but organizers will rely this year on airport personnel and rented
equipment, Kerfoot said.